Resources

Gender identity and pronouns

​​​​​​Leiden University is committed to becoming an inclusive community and respects the diversity of gender identities of staff, students and visitors. Our pronouns brochure provides information on the use of pronouns and why it is important to pay attention to pronoun use in everyday interaction.

The Toolkit onnodige sekseregistratie (Toolkit unnecessary gender registration, in Dutch) from the Atria institute is a helpful tool to check whether registering gender is really necessary and how you can ensure to be inclusive of a diversity of gender identities.

Inclusive recruitment and selection

For HRM issues, Leiden University uses a recruitment and selection methodology that avoids implicit bias wherever possible. The HRM Inclusive Recruitment & Selection toolkit offers a wealth of information and practical tips for all stages of the recruitment and selection procedure.

This process starts by attracting a diverse pool of candidates – from the language used in the job description to the media used to advertise the vacancy, as well as the procedure itself. We then look at the composition of the selection committee and all the subsequent steps in the procedure: the selection of application letters, preparation for the interview, the interview itself, the selection and follow-up. This results in a diligent and professional recruitment and selection procedure that can be properly justified to the candidates. This toolkit therefore contributes to the development of a diverse academic community.

The Recruitment and Selection training course (Basic and Plus) was developed to provide appointment advisory committees, vacancy holders and selection committees in particular with the knowledge and tools they need to select candidates in a competent and inclusive way. Both versions of the course are a good resource for learning how to use the HRM toolkit in practice.

Declaration of Equity

The Declaration of Equity is a pledge to shape any student association of Leiden University and University of Applied Sciences Leiden into one that is accessible, inclusive, and safe. The declaration offers specific directions for an association to follow in order to become one where equal opportunities for all are at the foundation.

Tips for gender-inclusive communication

Leiden University is committed to creating an inclusive and engaged community. As a university, we recognise that not everyone is comfortable with a binary approach to gender identity. In this guide you can read how you can contribute to an inclusive learning and working environment by choosing appropriate forms of salutation and using inclusive language.

See also the university writing guidelines for examples of a gender-neutral salutation.